Samsung to Open 'Experience Shops' in 1400 Best Buys

Samsung has announced that it will open 'Samsung Experience Shops' in more than 1,400 Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile stores beginning this month. By early May, 900 stores will feature the Samsung Experience Shop, with the remainder launching by early summer.

---At the Samsung Experience Shops, consumers can experience Samsung’s full range of mobile products including smartphones, tablets, laptops, connected cameras and accessories, all in one location. The shops enable consumers to interact with and buy Samsung’s latest mobile products and experience how the devices connect together to enrich their lives.

Select Best Buy stores will have Samsung Smart Service, which includes dedicated Samsung Experience Consultants and Best Buy blue shirt sales associates to assist customers with purchasing and activating mobile products on the carrier of their choice, understanding their device and supporting them throughout the lifecycle of their product. The specially trained Samsung Experience Consultants will assist with product demonstrations, basic product services, Samsung account set up, warranty registration and post purchase support.---

“Samsung has been delivering the latest innovation across the consumer electronics category for some time,” said Dale Sohn, president of Samsung Telecommunications America. “With the Samsung Experience Shops, we are ensuring consumers get the most of that innovation by learning how to leverage their mobile devices across our ecosystem of consumer electronics. Consumers will have one place to not only explore and learn about our full portfolio of mobile products, but also the support of a Samsung expert to help with selecting and servicing them. This will truly be a unique mobile shopping experience.”

The shops vary in size, with the largest being approximately 460 square feet. Within the larger shops, the Samsung Connected Solutions area creates a place for customers to see how easily Samsung devices connect and share content across multiple screens.

“We look forward to showcasing Samsung products in the Samsung Experience Shop in all Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile locations. This is part of our Renew Blue transformation strategy – working closely with vendor partners to innovate and drive value, while also updating our stores to focus on growing and profitable categories,” said Shawn Score, head of U.S. Retail for Best Buy. “Our promise to our customers is simple: we’re committed to providing the best value, service and selection. Our partnership with Samsung on the Samsung Experience Shop is another way we’re delivering on that promise.”

The new Samsung shops will rival Apple's store-within-a-store concepts that are currently found in most Best Buys.

The whole "store within a store" idea seems kind of silly to begin with. I wonder if Best Buy will ever stop allowing that. One day Best Buy will just be a hodgepodge of mini-stores for all the rest of the consumer electronic companies.